Sey sanft, wie ihre Seele,
Und heiter, wie ihr Blick,
O Abend! und vermähle
Mit seltner Treu das Glück.

Wenn alles schläft, und trübe
Die stille Lampe scheint,
Nur hoffnungslose Liebe
[Noch helle]1 Thränen weint:

Will ich, laß mir's gelingen!
Zu ihrem Fenster gehn,
Ein Lied [von Liebe]2 singen;
Und [schmachtend]3 nach ihr sehn.

Vielleicht, daß Klagetöne
Von meinem Saitenspiel
Mehr wirken auf die Schöne,
Mehr reizen ihr Gefühl;
 
Vielleicht daß meine Saiten
Und meine Phantasie'n 
Ein Herz zur Liebe leiten,
Das unempfindlich schien.
 
Wenn sie, im sanften Schlummer
Durch Lieder gern gestört,
Halbträumend meinen Kummer
Und meine Leiden hört;
 
Dann bang, und immer bänger,
Von ihrem Lager steigt,
Und was er litt, ihr Sänger,
Sich selber überzeugt:
 
Dann leucht' aus deiner Höhe
Herab, geliebter Mond!
Daß ich die [Thräne]4 sehe,
Die meinen Schmerz belohnt.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Sämmtliche Gedichte Gabrielens von Baumberg. Wien, gedruckt bey Joh. Thom. Edl. v. Trattnern, k.k. Hofbuchdrucker und Buchhändler, 1800, pages 243-244; and with Gedichte von Gabriele Batsányi geb. Baumberg. Gedruckt bey J.V.Degen. Wien, 1805, pages 26-28, with the title An Lina and subtitle (Abendständchen, nach dem Französischen.).

¹ Baumberg (1805 edition): "Verborgne"; Schubert: "Oft helle"
² Baumberg (1805 edition): "zur Laute"
³ Baumberg (1805 edition): "lauschend"
⁴ Baumberg (1800 edition), probably misprint: "Thränen"

Text Authorship:

• by Gabriele von Baumberg (1766 - 1839), "Abendständchen. An Lina", subtitle: "Nach dem Französischen" [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Abendständchen. An Lina", D 265 (1815), published 1895 [ voice, piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Serenata de capvespre. A Lina", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Avondserenade. Voor Lina", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Evening Serenade. To Lina", copyright ©
• ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Evening serenade. To Lina", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Sérénade du soir. À Lina", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Serenata della sera. A Lina", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 139

Be as gentle as her soul
And as bright as her eyes
Oh evening, and marry
Happiness to such rare devotion.

When everything is asleep and 
The quiet lamp shines dimly,
And hopeless love
Frequently weeps bright tears,

If I get the chance, I shall
Go to her window
To sing a song of love,
And look towards her, pining.

It may be that the lamenting tones
Of my stringed instrument
Will have more effect on the beautiful woman,
And will appeal more directly to her feelings.

It may be that my strings
And my imagination
Will lead a heart to love,
A heart that appeared to be insensitive.

When her gentle slumber
Is happily disturbed by songs
And half-dreaming she becomes aware of my grief
And she hears my suffering,

Then, increasingly anxious,
She will get up from where she is lying,
And what he suffered - her singer -
Will itself convince her:

Then, from your lofty position send your light
Down, beloved moon!
So that I can see the tear
Which will reward my pain.